Plans in for Shetty’s hospital
(CNS): The much anticipated hospital development and mega health city proposed by Dr Devi Shetty and his team of investors and local partners has been submitted to the government’s planning department. Plans for the medical tourism project were handed over to planning on Wednesday under a new format called a Planned Area Development (PAD), which was introduced two years ago. This is the first development proposal to submit a PAD for approval of the overall project and the team also submitted construction plans for the first phase of the hospital itself, the group stated in a release.
PADs are projects covering more than 40 acres, with three or more distinct uses, which are master planned as one development. The aim of this type of plan is to ensure that larger developments are properly thought out from the beginning, avoiding potential problems and incompatibilities later on.
Although the Shetty project is the first to use the PAD system, there are concerns that several developments have been submitted to planning piece-meal which should have used the new more transparent system.
The Shetty project, which will now be listed to appear before the Central Planning Authority in the near future, includes plans for the first phase of Health City Cayman Islands, which will be a 140-bed hospital set to open in late 2013.
The goal of the proposed project is to launch a medical tourism product and bring quality, low-cost healthcare services to the Cayman Islands. What is expected to eventually be a US$2 billion project is being built in phases over a 15-year period on a 200-acre site in the High Rock area of East End.
“The application represents three years of hard work getting this project off the ground,” said Health City Cayman Islands representative Gene Thompson. “We are pleased with the great reception and co-operation we have received from the Premier, Minister of Health, Cayman Islands Government and the relevant departments and look forward to continuing to work together on this ground-breaking project.”
According to the release, full site work at the East End facility also began on Wednesday with preliminary work on access roads and temporary construction utilities.
Burns Conolly, the local architect working on the project, said it had been exciting to develop the first PAD application. “These PAD master plans have to be thought out on all levels as they will set the parameters for development on the site for the next 20, 30, or 40 years,” said Conolly. “You have to consider everything, from construction phasing, traffic growth, distribution of utilities, environmental issues, the relationship of each of the uses, to ultimately the quality of the spaces being created. Given that we are looking at 1.5 million square feet of building, with associated parking and services, it has to be done correctly up front.”
The fees for the PAD and planning applications submitted to the Planning Department totalled CI$160,000. The submission, which will be available for the public to review next week, includes a detailed Development Statement addressing the parameters and guidelines of Health City Cayman Islands that covers plans for everything, from management, road networks and services infrastructure to landscaping and open spaces, density, and building design, the team stated in the release.
The long term goal for the project, which is broadly supported throughout the community, includes a 2,000-bed tertiary-care hospital, a medical school facility, and an assisted living community. The multi-specialty hospital will provide services not widely available in the region, such as open-heart and bypass surgery, angioplasty, heart-valve replacement, cancer treatment, and organ transplant.
The project is a joint venture between the Narayana Hrudayalaya Group of India, headed by renowned heart surgeon Dr Devi Shetty, and Ascension Health Alliance of the United States, the country’s largest non-profit healthcare provider.
Category: Health
When projects of this come around that involve our useless politicians giving away millions of dollars of concessions and our country's future, we need to demand or have it placed in law that it will require a referendum and a majority vote.
What will me or my children or grand children ever get out of this?
If this project were to come to fruition it would indeed be a huge plus for this island.
Reality says that the 2013 goal is not attainable. Think the Ritz project – how many times was the completion date changed in years.
Reality says plane fares and the overall high cost of living and doing business in the Cayman Islands will confirm it will not be low cost. Think – the per day cost of electricity and water alone.
Reality says hiring world class surgeons and nursing staff will require big bucks and incentives. Think – why would established professionals up and move from flourishing practices.
Think real people.
They plan to bring Indian doctors for starters and yes lots of professionals would come to work here noting this is considered paradise and there is a huge amount of qualified doctors looking for work. You sir, have no idea what you are talking about. This will be a huge contributor to Cayman’s finances and there are capable people driving this project forward.
Think. I know it hurts…but seriously, think.
that's veeeeery late in 20123456789
The goal of the proposed project is to launch a medical tourism product and bring quality, low-cost healthcare services to the Cayman Islands. What an oxymoron my first and last experience in Cayman with quality and low-cost in the same sentence was when I bought a supposed 1500 count queen size bedsheet at a discount store in GT only problem was the fitted sheet could not fit on a single, double, queen or king bed. I was left scratching my head and wondering how in the world did I allow myself to be conned in such a way; given the fact that the "Cayman Islands" has never been associated with low-cost in anyway. I am never able to find quality in low-cost product in a high class destination such as the Cayman Islands. Maybe those in power are willing to change the Cayman Islands from a high class destination into a third world destination in that way you will be able to find quality in a low-cost production if the Cayman Islands are willing to pay its people below minimum wage and Caymanians are willing to regress to third world status for the sake of development and so call employment.
didn't I see a bunch of hard working, well fed men with hard hats, shovels, and suits start work on this thing about 6 months ago. I figured with that crew the thing would be finished already. Hell, I stopped taking my lipitor and started eating more ice cream figuring I'd bus it out to east end and get a new ticker for christmas. Now you tell me it hasn,t even started yet??!!
Omg the complainers are out in full force today!
What have you done that is so great that everything that happens on this island has to benefit you personally?
Go actually EARN something and drop the ENTITLEMENT ATTITUDE!!! Trust me you will feel much better abut yourself.
XXXXX The developer was given (XXXX) some unjustifiable duty waivers for a rediculous length of time. Case in point being duty free drugs for 99 years with no restrictions on distribution. How would you feel if you had busted your backside for many years in the Pharmacy business only to have the Premier give the business to a foreigner who has not contributed 1 cent to the CI economy. Anything completed under the present Govt was not done honourably, you can be sure of that.
The reason you won't ever get concessions is simply because you are an honest hard working Caymanian and not an expat with tons of money.
We are not on the UDP or PPM list..They only need us when election rolls around…They will throw you a few crumbs then and make you a few promises…wait and see.
ths had little to do with expat and caymanian
you see companies do it all the time, offering 3 months free cable for signing up to their company while the current customers pay full price.
Incentives are given out to attract the customer that then wil start paying full price after a limited time here.
Unfortunately they have already got you as the customer (Caymanian) so they don't really care what you think as you are no longer important to them, only getting the new guys in is important.
Cayman is just following this age old method> usulayy what happens is th old customer start to change companies and get better deals themselves
99 years is not a 'limited" time, it is a "lifetime!" Come on man, stop trivalizing XXXXXX!
But hasn't that always been the case. It's your politicians that accept our money and give us the concessions. Stop knocking us expats because your government officials take our money in return for concessions. That how the game is played my friend and if you don't have the money you lose. You guys would have had nothing if we didn't corrupt a few politicians back in the day! You should be glad we expats bring our gobs of money and why should we not be entitled to concessions for years. You have nothing to invest, we do! We didn't come here to make you rich, we came here so that we could be a lot more richer and I am not apologizing for that.
When local Caymanians get enough money that they can do what we expats do, then the politicians will look to them too…. until then if you want our money, run for office or stop complaining!
Not any one personally but all of us Caymanians. and why shouldn't it? It is our country after all. We welcomed you with open arms and now you want to chop them off. You can corrupt our politicians but you can't corrupt the whole country!
LOL yes we can…there are many Caymanians in the private sector that are hungry for joint venture deals and willing to do whatever it takes..Happens everywhere in the world! Why is it that Caymanians believe they are being singled out. I came here from Houston and you couldn't be in the oil business if you couldn't get the local politicians in your back pocket. It's how you are successful in business, that's all! At some point you must pay the piperor be left behind!
Finally, one expat that won't sugar coat it and tell you like it is. You Caymanians don't understand that it is you that elect your politicians the same ones that look to us expats to give them a piece of the pie in exchange for concessions, planning variances etc. This is how business is done all over the world and yes some of you will lose but look at the big benefit for the island. Only the strong will survive. Unfortunately, what you Caymanians don't understand is that just because you are nice, quiet and docile people that not everyone is going to look out for you if your are nice to them.
The days of politicians running for office for love of country is long gone. Why do you think so many of them enter office with nothing and exit into early retirement? It is not because the looked out for you people, it is because they looked out for themselves. Again folks, this happens all over the world and you Caymanians better wise up or you will all be left behind.
All politicians are for sale, as long as the price is right. Anyone that is stupid enough to think they will climb to the top businesswise without having to "grease" the politicians are in for a real schocker.
Ok now don't shoot the messenger with your thumbs down…I am only trying to be forthright and honest with you!
Everyone needs to read this to know why we Caymanians get upset when we see these major projects being built supposedly to provide us with work and with jobs. We give them concessions for years and years…we get nothing and Government has no balls to do anything to force them to do what they said they would do.
Read carefully who the business partner is. Who the architect on this project is. How long has the company been in the Cayman Islands? Notice the mention of the Shetty hospital. How many large scaleprojects have they done either in Bermuda or Cayman? I could go on but do the research for yourself.
This company just came to Cayman a year ago….Ask the developer and architect which company now has the contract to do all the flooring work at the Shetty Hospital?
http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20110303/BUSINESS/703039914
This sounds very much like the highest of the five or six flooring bidders complaining with sour grapes. Lower your prices, be competive and you might be considered!!
I don't think price matters when you have the inside tract on what the others are bidding and can adjust your numbers so that you always look like the lowest..You must have blinders on to not see this.
Doesn't it same strange to you that the architect's own company gets the work that he specifies? In his position, if he had any ethics he would not even be bidding on the project? Certainly there must be a conflict of interest somewhere? If the top five or six flooring companies in the Cayman Islands were that high how could they have survived until now with the major contractors? If Stafford Floorings prices were so low why have they been here for over a year and not landed one large contract in the entire time? What was the last major project you saw Clan Construction do? What if any large projects have you seen Stafford Flooring do? What experience do either of them have in doing work of this size and nature?
I think everyone in Cayman better open their eyes. This government has sold us out to these guys for a 100 years of concessions and they intend to keep it all for themselves.
My take on this is that because our Government has decided to take what should be ours and give to the developer for 3 generations, then all of these contracts should be out in the open and a fair and transparent process takes place. The developer needs to understand that whether perception or truth, this situation does look a bit shady.
Until the Government leads by example these large developers will feel that they can carry on the same deceptive and unconventional ways of doing business just because that is the way the government operates and why should they operate any differently. This now appears to be the normal way of doing business in Cayman whilst it should really be the exception.
If the government operates this way, why would you expect their sidekicks to operate any differently…Birds of a feather flock together.
Caymanians are like crabs in a barrel. Everyone trying to crawl on top of each other to reach the top not realizing they are killing each other in doing so while the big man stands at the top laughing at the idiots killing themselves.
I guess you will be saying the same thing about the "paving companies" as well. Give you two guesses, first one doesn't count!
Corruption at its best! Only in the Cayman Islands!
Do you know something that the five top bidders didn't know…Curious how you knew it was five bidders? I think you may be the one holding the sour grapes ready to hand them out..
I was almost with you on this one until I read the whole article you referenced and see no mention of any contracts for the Shetty Hospital going to Stafford, just some mentions of up and coming projects on island…you seem to have an axe to grind and are trying to persuade people with poorly cited articles.
I hope they will have a maternity facility. Would be nice to have a new and clean hospital where you don’t have to wear a ripped gown or share a room. First class nurses would be a great plus too!
they will do heart surgeries only
Get your discount heart surgery right here. Who’s next?
It just saddens me to read all these posts. So many comments full of greed and selfishness and "whats in it for me" attitude. Everyone assumes that because a hospital is going to be built here, they are somehow entitled to something from it. No one thinks about what they can add to the project to help make it a success, just what they can take from it.
Not sure why anyone should be privy to any contract this is private enterprise…maybe a few senior government bean counters can make public their personal contracts…as they impact the future of cayman thats for sure…
What a scam. The concessions were given based on a mega-project. They can build 1 small building and reap the benefits of the concessions for the next 99 years. I am guessing that there was no performance requirement once they paid the "real estate" fees.
Their concessions are based mainly on import duty. That means if they don’t build anything thus not importing anything they DO NOT GET any concessions!!!! You are wrong. Please read before you post next time.
What is everyone worrying about.? Our government gave them major concessions so that they would give Caymanians jobs!! LOL!!!!!!!!
Minister Scotland…you need to forget the dump and worry about this one! You have made promises to your people! Promises not kept!
Let's see who the Caymanians are and how far down into the economy any of this will go..
Watch for the new "Caymanian" Fronting companies to open up and watch for the Caymanians businesses to further suffer and close.
Mark sees the writing on the wall and if he wants to retire early then he better plaes his two masters and get these two majors products approved and started before he leaves office..in May
I think this will be of benefit to all Caymanians as the current health care situation is not up to world standards and we always have to incur extra expenses to travel abroad for medical attention especially in critical situations. We as Caymainians need to stop complaining and enroll in a college and get a degree to equip yourself to qualify for upcoming positions once the hospital is up and running – geez !!! stop waiting for handouts !!! I really hope that local businesses are offered the opportunity to be involved with the construction and provide jobs for those who are eager to work !
Gene Thompson claims this is
"to launch a medical tourism product and bring quality, low-cost healthcare services to the Cayman Islands"
HOW? When UDP gave Shetty a 100 year monopoly?!
SEE LINK: https://sites.google.com/site/cppicayman/the-shetty-mou
I wonder how many of the thumbs down read the analysis.
“These PAD master plans have to be thought out on all levels as they will set the parameters for development on the site for the next 20, 30, or 40 years,”
But isnt this what the Planning Department should be doing all the time?
awkward question # 987: how much did they 'purchase' the land for???
its called the free-market……please dont tell me its only a good thing when it works for 'caymanians' whatever that means…….there are people who have lived here for 20 years that still have no rights…..and some that have been here for 10 that have all the rights….its an archaic way of thinking get over yourselves adapt or die and dont count on caymans prosperity over the last 30 years as a precurser to what lies ahead.
Positive Vibrations!
Bring on the delicious Indian food!
Is there any such thing as a happy Caymanian ?
Just check the KFC drive thru.
I am very happy thank you.
Just ask your mom.
So you were the girlfriend she went shopping with last week!!
I did ask my mom and she said the you are a lot more happy then you are capable..
The whole project is a pipe dream.
Something low cost on Cayman????
Opening late 2013????
LMAO – yeah right.
Pigs will take flight first.
Pigs will take flight first…
Bobo, they already flying…to China, Spain, Kenya, Doha, Sri Lanka, Tonga, Anguilla, England….
Good and I hope they continue the flight….. would be sooooo happy when they find other troughs and leave us some of the food and water.
An American company has been given this project I wonder how many Caymanians will really get a job out of this.
More blinkered Caymanian zero sum nonsense. "Here is a project that will increase the overall size of the Cayman economy, but what good will this specifc bit be for Caymanians". Ezzard would be proud of this poster.
Well I work in construction have so for 31 years never been unemployed but now I have no job, I am Caymanian so I am a ZERO. And you wonder why there is a growing anti expat feeling among us Caymanians, and no status either i am a Native Person. If a 60 to 70 bed hospital is going to dramatically increase the economy I will be very surprised. I hope Ezzard is proud of the Poster i am proud of his stand for us Native Cayman People and in May 2013 I will Vote for PPM in GT so I will no longer be a ZERO, I may actually get a fair opportunity at a job.
No contract of any size should be entered into by the current government as there is only five months to go before they are booted out. History shows that the next Government will cancel any such agreements
with resulting damages. Askthe big man when he cancelled the Horter hospital contract years ago. From recollection it cost us all about $1m, small change I suppose.
Chris, not sure what your comments are about here…this is not a government project nor a government contract. This is private investment coming into the country. Maybe you missed that one.
You are correct that this is not a Govt project – but did you see the list of concessions that Govt is giving them? I think this is what Chris meant when he said that this Govt should not enter into anymore contracts.
Maybe you missed that one?
The concessions are irrelevant. The concessions are only granted if the project moves fwd in which case an amount greater than the value of the concessions will be contributed to the local economy. If the project doesn't get off the ground then no concessions are given up and we are in the same position as if the project never existed (which may please those of you who are against everything but doesn't help the local economy).
Some people would like to believe that there is a line of investors waiting to pump money into this place at any cost in which case concessions would not be needed. Sadly that is not these case. Hence you need to incentivise investors to come here. I am amazed that some of the posters here simply cannot understand that 80% of something is better than 100% of nothing….
I hear u there Rolly…
Yet look at how unwelcoming you and Fu Man Chu are treating the new owners of the Ritz…
I agree with you Chris. Let the next governemt handle this. we have no idea what is in the contract. we have seen enough of CHEC, the Cohen deal, oil refinery, erc etc. What we all need to see is the contract with Shetty. Transparency rules.
We have Gene Thompson and Burns Connolly this time, so everythingh goin' be alright.
EIA – because I don't trust Burns to worry about all of the impacts for me.
I hope it covers how a hazadous hospital waste will be diposed and they will actually have a trained person to handle it.
It does…!!!
There's a dump in West Bay surrounded by a 10 foot fence that they could fill. The only issue will be the junkyard dog living in the dump. He needs to be put down first.
It will die soone after being exposed to a hospital waste
Hospital's wasteincludes bio- hazardous and radiactive materials. I wonder how they dispose it at existing 2 hospitals.
Yes opening late 2013 ! it’s being built by the private sector not the government . can’t you notice the difference .look at the caribbean plaza opposite the caribbean club that is one example . when people work for government one carries the concrete blocks and 5 stands and watch.
There is already a bunch of disgruntled Caymanian subcontractors that bid on this project only to be told to get lost as the developer has set up his own little so called "Caymanian" owned companies to keep everything for themselves.
Watch for more on this. Lot of pissed off Caymanians out there!
Another UDP fiasco!
The contractors out there should be upset with the protesters of every single project announced in the last two years…thats who they should be pissed off with. Every project proposed is objected by someone..how in God's name can you expect any work??
No one is protesting the actual hospital..We are protesting the way the developer and architect are handling the procurement of products and jobs for the project.
I myself would have no problems save that the government loaded them up with concessions so that they in turn would put work out to local Caymanian businesses and tradespeople.
The procurement company is based in the United States and the companies that are getting the work are not the ones that have built this country but one that have been set up specifically for this project.
So now we tell developers who they can and cannot hire? Are you kidding me? This is not a gov’t project but a private enterprise.
If I was a foreign developer that was specifically picking the Cayman Islands to bring my development, I would expect some concessions as an incentive to bring said development here. I would hire my own contractor to oversee the project and hire experienced senior project management and then try to hire as much local experienced workers as possible. It’s my development and I want the best value for my money.
I would hire only the best workers. Some of these local workers should start fine tuning their skills so they will be able and ready to keep up with the value of work that the developers will demand.
That’s how you successfully invest here.
Dumbasses. SMDH
And, quit yer bitchin about building materials being brought in from anywhere but here. These developers are going to secure their products from wherever they can get the best value for money. I guarantee you they won't be buying local where the standard practice is to mark everything up 200% and call it CI$. Some of these local suppliers need to humble themselves a bit when it comes to prices. Buying foreign means that by the time that the items get here, with freight and duty, it's STILL cheaper than buying local. This ain't the 80's people, we are looking for VALUE FOR MONEY.
There's always "pissed off Caymanians" out there. They are very good at that.
Positive news!
Haters keep hating but this is a great step forward for Caymans longevity!
As usual a major project with a few crumbs thrown to Caymanians. Let' s see who stands to benefit from this.
Crumbs? How about some construction jobs, and some nursing and other opportunities for young Caymanians? And how about access to another medical resource in Cayman? You dont have crumbs, you have a whole loaf. Why is it people like you ALWAYS complain about EVERYTHING?
Caymanians need more than crumbs now – before we can even get the plate to the table the crumbs have blown off. Let' s see who stands to benefit from this – Burns C. you might have left East End but we still here and we need work, if we can't get piece of the pie then the gas / elec. to the oven will be cut off. Then we will see who can bake with Fire Wood.
Let's see how many fronting firms will be set up for this one…I heard already that one brought here last year by the architect already has secured the Flooring products and installation contract..
Crumbs for Caymanians? it is our own that is holding the loaf and would rather keep every crumb for themselves. One day their day will come and they will be holding their hand out just like we have to do now.
Burns and Gene remember where you both came from, hardworking Caymanians that built and shared their loaf with other Caymanians. That is how this country was built. You get on top now and you forget all the the rest of us.
East Enders are watching and we are not happy!!!
gimee, gimmee…blah…blah…….
go build your own hospital!
WOW! You whine just like your premeir! Are you almost done milking the school jobs?
opening late 2013?????…… no chance…. but then again this whole concept has had a litany of big annoucements and missed start dates
WTF does everything and everyone have to be so negative in Cayman??? It's been held up because of the litany of bureaucracy that our island has developed over the years that frustrates the entire system!
well maybe someone should explain the litany of bureacracy….. instead of changing/reducing the scope of the project every few months…..
Most projects held up, never change their scope of work or alter plans. it's the incompetent planners that keep passing the plans from desk to desk. I say get real people on the job.
You mean the" bureaucracy rubbish" that the planning department put these projects through!
That same "bureacracy madness"you speak of, has lost this country lots of opportunities….it needs ammending..with real men and women this time!!!!